John's unlucky break while capturing Shropshire hills

It was the sort of snap which saw him airlifted to hospital, left him unable to walk properly for months and put the completion of the book back considerably.

"I spent a lot of time walking in the area, and walked all over those hills featured in the book extensively, on many of the different footpaths," said John.

"It took about two years taking photographs, but it came to a sudden, nasty halt when I was on a Welsh hill called Wernygefron just over the border near Knighton to take some photographs of the Shropshire hills opposite.

"I slipped on wet grass and fractured my ankle. Luckily I was able to get a signal on the mobile and was rescued by the air ambulance and taken to Hereford Hospital, where I spent a couple of weeks, as there were complications.

"It delayed me as I couldn't really walk properly for 10 months again after that. Then I started walking again and completed the book."

That finished project is a celebration of Shropshire's south western hills that share a border with Wales and showcases dozens of his photos, along with background text. Rather unusually in these digital days, John took the pictures with a film camera, an Olympus SLR.

Aged 79, he lives in Redditch but has an enduring love for the Shropshire countryside in which he spent part of his childhood.

"I've always had a strong affection for the county, growing up as a boy there in Diddlebury in the Corvedale. I've always gone back there from time to time, and I've always been keen on mountains and hills," said John, who is a semi-retired designer and art director.

"I've walked all over the country. I left Shropshire when I was about 11, and we went to Birmingham. That was the period of the war. My father, Leslie Bradford, was a silversmith and slightly too old to be conscripted. They sent him to work at Peaton, near Diddlebury, doing metal bashing, making fuel tanks for Lancaster bombers.

"He found some digs for us at Delbury Hall and my mother and I joined him. I think I was four when we went there. It was an idyllic childhood.

"This is the fifth book I've done which more or less celebrates the countryside."

With the publication of the last of his previous four books, it left him free to turn his attention to Shropshire, and for his first outing he chose Linley Hill.

"Having walked up the avenue of ancient beech trees and reached the hill's highest point, I sat enjoying the sweeping panorama of Stiperstones to my right and Heath Mynd on my left, with Corndon Hill in between and The Rock directly opposite me. It was sublime and I knew at that moment that I had to start a new book to celebrate this, my first love and still the countryside I prefer to all others."

* Shropshire's Border Hills is softback, full colour with 184 pages. John says it is available from local bookshops and directly from him at Hunt End Books, 66 Enfield Road, Hunt End, Redditch B97 5NH, on (01527) 542516, and annebradford@blueyonder.co.uk by email. The price is £12.95 including postage and packing.